AUSTIN, Texas — On Friday morning, a 21-year-old man was sentenced to 13 years in prison for selling pills laced with fentanyl.
Juan Ignacio Soria Gamez, 21, was also sentenced to $4,143 in restitution that must be paid during his supervised release of three years, following his prison sentence. He will also be required to participate in substance abuse programs.
Gamez was indicted on one count of distribution of fentanyl causing death, seven counts of distribution of fentanyl and one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. The normal range of punishment for those offenses is no less than 20 years and no more than life, but U.S. District Judge Robert Pitman accepted Gamez’ attorney’s plea agreement that recommended a 156-month, or 13-year, sentence.
Gamez was responsible for selling Tucker Roe a pill that was laced with fentanyl back in 2021. Roe died after taking the pill.
Roe's mother, Stefanie Turner, is the founder of Texas Against Fentanyl and has been outspoken about getting more fentanyl awareness education in the state. This past legislative session, Gov. Greg Abbott signed House Bill 3908, also known as "Tucker's Law." It requires fentanyl awareness education in Texas public schools.
"If I understood the danger of fentanyl and so did he, we would not be here today," Turner said on Friday morning after Gamez's sentencing. "I would not be standing here, and my son would be here."
Turner said she was relieved that this prison sentence could deter people from selling fentanyl-laced pills in the future, but what's really needed is more awareness and education for young people.
"My son didn't know anything about fentanyl. I didn't know anything about it," Turner said. "There's a need for people to understand."
Texas Against Fentanyl has already created The Tucker Project, which is a fentanyl awareness curriculum to be used in schools. Turner said the State of Georgia has already purchased it and has a pilot program going, but the group is still waiting for Texas to adopt it.
"It's ready to go, but the State of Texas has not opened that dialog for us to be providing this to our schools," Turner said. "We're not moving fast enough, and lives are on the line."
Turner said the group is also working with Alabama and Oklahoma to create laws similar to Tucker's Law.